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“On the contrary,” Benedict replied, “someone has built them within the last sixteen years.”
Cassia touched a hand to Benedict’s arm. “I watched them roll into the king’s camp. They are the catapults he used to bring down Castra Roborra faster than any siege in history. But how did you recognize them?”
“When I was a boy, the king required Lord Titus to take me to look at the siege engines that killed my father. For instructional purposes, you understand. To make sure I never grew up to emulate his treason.”
Lyros bowed his head. “I carry your grief in my veins, Sir Benedict.”
“No one mourns a traitor, Steward Lysandros,” said Benedict.
“Hesperines mourn everyone,” Lyros said.
“Mourn that night, then.” Benedict held up the diagram for the whole embassy to see. “Here I have proof of how long the king has conspired with the Order of Anthros, and how thoroughly they have violated the very laws they demand we obey. These siege engines are ancient innovations by the Aithourian war mage Hephaestion, which never saw use in battle, for his own Order forbade men to live by both magic and war. Mages are to cast spells. Kings are to build catapults. So how are we to explain that at the Siege of Sovereigns, Hephaestion’s catapults, built from the king’s lumber, hurled fire spells that ate through the mundane walls of Castra Roborra?”
“That I should live to see such times.” The Semna put a hand to her chest. “Master Gorgos, you must agree the temples of Tenebra cannot turn a blind eye to this.”
The mage of Anthros hesitated. “I don’t see what a lot of scrolls from a Hesperine library prove.”
Eudias turned the page of Benedict’s journal and studied the next diagram. “These are blatantly against the Order’s own prohibitions. The laws don’t stop at men who wield swords and spells; there is an entire article that itemizes the exact limitations on siege weaponry. Worse still, when the Aithourian Circle aided the king in a political struggle in this manner, they violated war mage neutrality laws. How eager they are to forget the founding principles of our order. One of the original, key purposes of establishing the Orders was to address the chaos and harm caused by mercenary war mages who hired on with every feuding noble.”
The Semna looked at Master Gorgos. “What are we to do when the gods’ mouthpieces disobey the gods?”
Benedict signed a glyph of Andragathos. “We must indeed trust in the strength of our Tenebran mages, Semna, and your virtue. We will need all your strength to stand against a king who has Cordium at his back.”
Cassia thumped Benedict’s journal. “This is what you can expect to meet in battle, if you take up arms against the king. But the Orders cannot fight peace with catapults. They can break the law with fire, but they cannot destroy it.”
“Hadria and Segetia must stand together in this,” Lord Gaius said at last. “Our divisions will leave us vulnerable, but if all the lords of Tenebra join forces, we will be strong enough to unmake the king and keep his foreign allies out of our lands. We will need no revolt, only the Free Charter.”
Lord Severin spoke, his brow furrowed. “I believe my father and I are of one mind in this, if nothing else. Regardless of his stance against Hesperines, once he learns his king tried to murder him, he will not try to stop me from invoking the Charter.”
Cassia spread their terms out on the table before her. “We must take the high ground of the council table and uphold the law as laid down in the Free Charter, which empowers every free lord in Tenebra to make treaties and contracts for the safety and prosperity of his own people.”
Benedict shoved his journal to the center of the table. “The law is on our side.”
“The power is in our hands,” said Lord Gaius.
“We are not without foreign allies, either.” Cassia looked to Lio.
“We are here to serve,” Lio replied, “and lend all our power to upholding peace.”
“You can rely on our strength,” Mak promised.
Lyros saluted the warriors. “We will stand as Tenebra’s allies against Cordium, if you will stand with us.”
Once more, Cassia challenged each man in the room with her gaze. This time they did not look away, and she saw in their eyes anger and resolve, indignation and courage.
She had done it. They were ready for her to cut their strings.
“I have armed you with the truth, my lords,” Cassia said. “You must find the courage to take it up and wield it in defense of all you hold dear.”
FESTIVALOF THE
DRINK
2 Nights After Winter Solstice
CASSIA’S SANCTUARY
When moon hours came,the mortals’ emotions crested through the streets of Selas. Their auras were afire after a sleepless night of deliberating over the terms they would propose to the Queens. Lio had seldom felt more exhilarated about a negotiation himself.
